I Saw What You Did There
by caldera32
Summary: Something ridiculous for April 1st- an AU for every episode to turn them each into reveals
1. The Dragon's Call

A/N: This is going to be absolutely ridiculous- but when (if?) you finish, please let me know if you'd like me to continue with the other seasons. This piece contains a reveal ficlet for every season 1 episode (hit-and-run style). Some of these are completely absurd, and the rest are even more absurd (okay, a fair few of these are 'normal', I admit it). A lot of these turned out longer than I intended, but hey, you'll have this. I also meant to make them more funny, but my fingers just do what they want.  
I was going to post them all as one chapter, but then decided splitting them up would be more convenient in case anyone actually wanted to re-read specific episodes.

If these are crap, please tell me because frankly, I wrote them in a couple of hours after a busy weekend- leaving me with nearly no ability to judge their quality. Yes, I could have waited to post them, but I wanted them up for April 1st and I couldn't be sure I'd have more writing time before next weekend. Anyway, hope you enjoy ;)

* * *

Two young men face off just outside Camelot's market, one blond and strong, the other dark-haired and gangly.

"I could take you apart with one blow." Arthur asserts.

"I could take you apart with magic... ah, I mean, less than that. I could take you apart with less than that."  
Merlin replies, scrambling to correct his error.

It doesn't work.

The crowd scatters and the prince grabs a nearby weapon, advancing on the man warily.

"Guards!" He calls.

"Bugger..."


	2. Valiant

"Merlin!" Arthur shouts.  
Where was that useless new manservant of his?

He charges into the physician's quarters and up the short flight of stairs into the boy's room- and stops in shock.

Merlin is doing his chores, surprising enough without the fact that the laborer in question is currently reclining on his bed with a book whilst the clothing, armor, and sword clean and polish themselves.

The warlock hastily drops everything and hides the book- entirely too late.  
"Oh, this is not good..."


	3. The Mark of Nimueh

Gaius hustled Merlin through the lower town, the sounds of Arthur and his men breaking down a door echoing down the street.

"Gaius- Gaius! He's still alive!" The pale youth dropped down beside the afflicted man and reached out to place a hand on his shoulder.

Suddenly and without his conscious consent, he felt a jolt of power pass down his arm and into the invalid.  
Blue skin and milky eyes cleared instantly and the man leapt up in shock.

"You healed me!" He shouted, rather over-loud.

"What?" Arthur called, just having exited the home his men were still rifling through.

"This man- he healed me with a touch!"  
The now-healthy Camelotian answered, obviously too awe-struck to consider the ramifications of his proclamation.

"Merlin, is this true?" The prince looked to his servant.

Gaius moved forward, about to protest when his ward held him back.

"Yes, it is true." He said, voice steady and slightly challenging.

Arthur had a slight tinge of regret in his eyes when he called the guards.


	4. The Poisoned Chalice

"Leave them, Arthur!"

The prince stared at the blue orb in shock as it emitted the voice of someone he knew to be several leagues away- someone currently unconscious and dying.

"Merlin?" He asked, tearing his eyes away to focus on the spiders making their way toward him.

"Climb, Arthur- follow the light!" The familiar tones urged.

Arthur ignored them just as he would the man himself, struggling to grasp the yellow bloom at the edge of his reach.  
Flower now shoved into his belt pouch, he began climbing.

"Faster, go faster!" The light orb insisted in his servant's voice.

Now having no particular reason to resist, the royal did so and soon emerged from the caves.  
As the blue faded away he took a moment to appreciate that he was still alive- then his mind turned to its new concern.

_Merlin had magic._


	5. Lancelot

Geoffrey crept around the bookcase as the servant muttered something to the book, waving his hand over a blank parchment to create a facsimile of the seal in the tome.

"You won't want to copy that one- Uther is quite familiar with Lord Eldred's family. Best to try another- I'd recommend Lord Minth, the king never did bother keeping up with him."

Merlin jumped and hastily stuffed the parchment in his shirt.  
"I- I don't know what you're talking about..."

The librarian snorted.  
"Of course not."

As the younger man turned to leave, the elder spoke softly as if talking to himself.  
"Used to be quite the mischief-maker myself, back in the day. I always did like pulling one over on old Uther..."

Thoroughly confused, the warlock left before the old man decided to call the guards.


	6. A Remedy to Cure All Ills

Arthur was walking past his father's chambers when he heard the hushed tones of his servant and the court physician inside.  
Curious and a bit concerned, he pressed his ear to the door.

"I don't know how." Merlin said, sounding slightly lost.

"If you don't, then he will die." Came Gaius' soft reply.

_What?_

Arthur stood in shock for a moment before making to charge into the room- until the sound of a strange language reached his ears.

_Magic!_

He crept into the room, careful to make no sound and remain out of sight of the two men at his father's bedside.  
Merlin was just withdrawing his hands from the king's head, some sort of beetle visible in the pale palm.

"Has anyone ever told you you're a genius?" Gaius was saying, wonder evident in the phrase.

"You certainly haven't." Merlin replied with his typical wit.

Their quiet laughter cut off abruptly when Arthur cleared his throat, demanding their acknowledgment.  
"And would someone like to tell me what- _exactly_- is going on here?"

"Umm... no?"


	7. The Gates of Avalon

Arthur spun to face the man approaching his back only to see Merlin's eyes flare gold before a tree branch broke dramatically from the trunk and flattened his attacker.  
He took a moment to dispatch the remaining brigand before turning back to his servant, who was looking a bit nervous.

"You have magic-"

"I-" Merlin tried to interrupt, but the prince spoke over him.

"You have magic, and the best you can do is drop a branch on him?"

The warlock was now watching him with confused trepidation.

"Where's the fire? The waves of power? The whirlwinds?"

"What?" Was the man's intelligent response.

Arthur sighed.  
"It suppose it only makes sense you'd be as rubbish at this as you are with everything else."

"What?"

"Come on, Merlin, let's get back to Camelot. You'll have to take care of that game- and my sword needs cleaning along with the rest of my armor. I trust you'll be able to do it in a timely manner considering your _special skills_."

"... What?"


	8. The Beginning of the End

Merlin's eyes darted back and forth between the boy on the floor and the man on the platform before settling on the Lady Morgana, who was obviously distressed at the proceedings.

Holding a finger to his lips and giving her an earnest look, the warlock let his instinctive magic take over as his irises flooded with gold.  
Morgana's surprised expression was frozen as time slowed to a stand-still and the druid man disappeared, his bonds dropping to the stage still knotted.

Time resumed and chaos erupted as the headman's ax hit the block without resistance.

Hesitantly, the warlock looked back to the king's ward.  
Morgana was smiling at him with an expression akin to wonder.

"_Thank you, Emrys."_ The boy's words echoed in his head.

Merlin gave him a slight smile, which was returned.  
Yes, this had been the right thing to do.


	9. Excalibur

Merlin gazed upon the sword Gwen had brought him.  
Yes, this felt right.

"It's perfect."

"Father always said it was the best sword he'd ever made- he'll kill me if he finds out I've taken it."

"He'll understand, you did it for Arthur."

The maid's lips rose a bit at the corner.  
"I knew you were proud of him really."

The manservant returned her stare, neither confirming nor denying the accusation.

Abruptly, he stood and re-wrapped the weapon before slipping out the door.

Guinevere waited a moment before trailing after him, curiosity getting the better of her.

She knew Arthur needed more than a good blade to beat the black knight, and she knew Merlin was well aware of that same fact.  
So what was he going to do with that sword?

They traveled through darkened corridors and abandoned passageways to the very depths of the castle, reaching a guarded tunnel Gwen had never even heard about before. She watched as Merlin's eyes flashed and the guards were distracted by a noise further on in the passage.

The shock of her discovery was such that she nearly forgot to follow the man into the gated staircase now lit by a single torch until the sound of the guards returning broke her from her reverie.

She heard a strange conversation going on and peered around the corner to see who Merlin was talking to- immediately ducking back into the relative safety of the stairwell and grasping at her frantically beating heart.

A dragon!

Yes, Leon and the other boys had liked to tell tall-tales about dragons when they were all little, even going so far as to claim one was chained up underneath the castle, but Gwen had never believed a word of it.

At this point she was really beginning to hope she had fallen asleep and this whole ordeal was simply a dream- until she realized what Merlin was doing with the sword and the... dragon.

_Then _she began praying that it would be enough.

_Merlin, if this works I will never tell a soul about your magic._

As he stumbled past her hiding spot in the shadows, oblivious as he marvelled at the newly-burnished blade, she admitted to herself it didn't matter either way.

She'd keep his secret 'til the day she died.


	10. The Moment of Truth

"Now, Morgana- what are you waiting for?" Arthur growled impatiently.  
Kanen's men would only be vulnerable to their trap for a few more seconds and she wasn't starting the fire.

The prince heard Merlin curse softly behind him, then felt the other man lean forward to look in the noblewoman's direction.

"I'm sorry, Arthur."

The blond only had a moment to be confused before his servant reached out a hand and spouted some thing that sounded vaguely like the word 'burn', eyes swirling with gold as the fire roared to life.

Then the servant flashed him an apologetic smile and dashed out to face the raiders, leaving the royal with a choice- back him up, or abandon him.

"Now!"  
He shouted, leaving his cover as he threw himself into the fray.


	11. The Labyrinth of Gedref

Having successfully distracted Merlin, Arthur snatched the goblet of poison and prepared to drink.

"No! I will drink it- you can't die, this isn't your destiny!"

Merlin's passionate speeches never ceased to amaze him, but he wouldn't allow himself to be swayed this time.  
"Seems you're wrong again."

"Listen to me!"

"You know me, Merlin, I never listen to you!"  
He raised the goblet in a final salute- and found himself frozen, staring into the golden eyes of his servant.

_Merlin... magic?_

"I can't let you do this, Arthur."  
Pale hands pried the poison from his hands and blue eyes met blue in an intense gaze.

"You, Arthur Pendragon, are destined to be the greatest king Albion has ever seen and ever will see; and it was my destiny to help you get there alive. I'm sorry I won't be there to see you crowned, but if this is all the farther I get then so be it- I do not regret saving you."

He raised the chalice to his lips.  
"It was an honor serving you, Sire."

If the prince could have screamed, he would have; but as it was he couldn't move a finger's-breadth.  
Forced to inaction, Arthur shed tears of frustration as he watched his companion drink the poison on his behalf.

_Not again, Merlin... please..._

Liquid all consumed, the servant slammed the cup back onto the table- gasping as if he had just competed in a drinking race.

The prince held his gaze, hoping Merlin could read his thoughts now the way he always seemed to when it was least convenient.  
_Merlin... I'll miss you... I'm sorry... thank you..._

The idiot smiled at him, then his eyes drifted closed as he fell to the ground.


	12. To Kill the King

Tauren turned away from Morgana, securing the stone and loosening his blade in its sheath

"You were foolish to come here. I have no quarrel with your maid, but you- the Lady Morgana- are Uther's ward!"  
He drew his sword and pressed it against her ribs, his subordinates drawing back slightly to allow him first strike.

Merlin could stand no more of this and came out from behind the tree, extending his hand and sending out a wave of force that toppled the lady's attackers.

While the men struggled to regain their feet, the warlock ran to Morgana's side and grabbed her hand.  
"Come on- run!" He shouted, pulling the shocked and confused noblewoman along beside him.

Green eyes wide, Morgana had no thought for her ruined plans- the only words echoing in her mind being: _Merlin has magic._


	13. Le Morte D'Arthur

The terrifying beast was gaining on them, the hunting party was scattered, and nearly all of them had dropped their weapons.

Of course Arthur chose this point in time to trip dramatically, sprawling helplessly on the forest floor.

Merlin turned to see the snake-headed monster about to strike the prince and, spotting a discarded spear in the leaves, used the spell that had dispatched the griffin.  
"**Fleoge!** **Bregdan anweald gafeluc!****"**

The spear burst into blue flames and impaled the creature, killing it instantly.

Immediate danger past, the servant looked at his master- only then realizing exactly what he had just done.  
"Ah... I can explain.."


	14. The Curse of Cornelius Sigan

A/N: Figured I may as well continue- these only take a few moments each anyway :)

* * *

A spear came flying out of nowhere, killing the boar mid-charge and saving the prince's life.

"Who threw that?" Arthur asked, impressed.

Merlin was hesitant to answer, until Cedric looked as if he may claim responsibility.  
"I did, Sire."

"You?" The royal scoffed.  
"I doubt you even have the strength to _lift_ that spear, Merlin, let alone throw it."

The warlock was rather irritated by recent events and replied in a way that was decidedly unwise.  
"Well then it's a good deal I have magic then, isn't it?"

Too annoyed to realize everyone was staring at him, he spun on his heel and traipsed back into the forest.


	15. The Once and Future Queen

A/N: Hey guys, new chapter for you! Same basic theme as my death fic version of the ep, but I don't feel guilty about it.  
As you can see, updates for this will likely be few and far between (unless I have a little marathon) but I do plan on doing the whole run- it just may take a while.

* * *

Guinevere pulled the pot of hot water off the stove and sat it on the table- rather harder than was necessary, though Arthur didn't seem to notice.

"Your hot water, _My Lord_."

"Ah, about time!" The prince exclaimed, apparently incapable of sensing the mood.

"I'll just give you some privacy, then," the maid turned and left, making her way to the castle and up the steps to a certain physician's chambers.

Too angry to bother with the usual pleasantries, Gwen opened the door and entered without so much as a by-your-leave, already starting her rant on the illustrious Prince Arthur.

"I can't _believe_ that man! Do you know he made me go all the way to the well so he could have a bath before going to sleep- in _my_ bed, while I sleep on the floor! If he wasn't the prince I'd-"

She took in the sight before her for the first time, words and movement stopping simultaneously.

Merlin was there scrubbing the floor, somehow still oblivious to her presence, and dirty clothing was busy washing and drying itself in the background.

"_Mer_lin!" She shouted, not even realizing how much like Arthur she sounded in that moment.

The servant twitched, looking up at her with eyes clouded by exhaustion.  
"Oh hey, Gwen. How's Arthur? Does he need something? I'm working for Gaius right now, but you can tell him I'll be there in a moment."

Both his tone and gaze were detached, as if he no longer had any awareness of his surroundings beyond the scrub brush.

Concern overriding the situation at hand (which she was rather happy to ignore regardless), Guinevere knelt down and placed her hand over top Merlin's.  
"Merlin? Are you alright?"

Blue eyes blinked tiredly, pointing in her direction for only a moment before dropping back down to focus on his task.

"Merlin, look at me."  
She gently pried the brush from his hand, forcibly uncurling the fingers that seemed to be locked in place.

Object of his attention no longer present, the servant turned his empty gaze to the woman beside him.  
"Gwen?"

Then his eyes rolled up into his head and he fainted dead away.


End file.
